Disclaimer: Naruto is still the property of Kishimoto-sensei.

A/N: First of all, my deepest apologies for the lengthy delay. A lot of things happened last year, mainly work-related issues so I wasn't able to update this story. I had to rewatch the series and re-read Aftermath to reacquaint myself with the story. Anyhow…without further ado, here is Chapter 16! Enjoy!

Aftermath: Post War

Chapter 16: The Cycle of Negativity

Hokage Office

"The actual culprit is the village?"

Kakashi's masked expression gave nothing away.

"Is it Root or Anbu?"

Silence.

Fed up from the silent treatment she is receiving from her subordinate, Tsunade slammed a fist on her desk. The loud jarring sound echoed throughout the office, scattering documents and splintered wood flying from all directions.

Unfortunately, Kakashi wasn't deterred by his superior's lack of apathy for furniture.

Instead, he warily observed her bent form rummaging amidst the debris and retrieving a sake bottle which, she unceremoniously chugged its contents. Upon seeing Tsunade's flushed face and pink-tinged cheeks, he deduced that she finally calmed down. About to begin his report, he was silenced with a wave of her hand.

"If the village is the culprit and is after Sasuke, all the information we gathered regarding Kirigakure's uprising and the growing uprising from the rest of the hidden villages are rendered useless! And…and," she huffed, voice loud. "Ibiki's investigation against Root are nil!"

"If so, is Root truly behind it?"

She faltered.

"Flamboyant events and directly goading the Kages into executing Sasuke doesn't reflect Root's true intentions," Kakashi clarified. "The events were purposely manipulated so that we will have no choice but to end his life. Consider the facts carefully before you jump to conclusions."

Reluctantly, she did.

A direct approach similar to the pseudo-uprising in Kiri and Iwa will only catch the attention of the other hidden villages who are still fighting for dominance. Since their lackeys were fully integrated in Anbu, Root can make the coup d'étathappen anytime.

Therefore, Root didn't need force to subdue Konoha.

And even…

She bit her lip.

Even Sasuke.

Using his name to coax disillusioned shinobi to rebel against their respective villages under the false pretense of reformation came out redundant as Root would simply wait until his execution commenced and eventually, steal his eyes.

Either way, Root will end victorious.

The uprising at the other hidden villages and the Kage Summit served as distractions to throw Konoha off their trail.

The underlying discord between the Allied Nations fueled by the Raikage's animosity towards Sasuke subtly manipulated the Kages' desire for dominance, thereby spurring them to hasten his execution.

There wasn't any need for Root to acquire more power.

The summit kept Konoha and its allies under surveillance and ensured leverage for Root and its lackeys by halving the leader's strength.

What does that leave the Kyūbi and the Sharingan?

The answer was painstakingly obvious.

Since Naruto was gullible than Sasuke, he will be easier to manipulate due to his ambition to be the Hokage. Root will simply dangle the title above Naruto's unsuspecting head and no doubt, he will fall for their trap. After all, becoming a Hokage meant getting acknowledged by the village and its people.

On the other hand, Sasuke was a realist. If the reports she received from the war were accurate, a slight chance of encountering his brother during the war and learning the truth of their clan's demise ultimately changed his outlook – which, further explains the brat's lack of resistance during his arrest.

Indeed, Sasuke is the catalyst.

Kakashi is right.

Indirectly blaming Root for Sasuke's fate was wrong.

The actual perpetrators are…

Her palms shook.

There is only one way to set things right.

Kill him.

"Is Sasuke worth saving?"

Kakashi didn't respond, his hand resting on the utility pouch behind him.

Tsunade crossed her arms over her chest, stepping away from her ruined desk. Stopping in front of the window overlooking the Hokage Monument, her voice turned wistful. "Even if Sasuke returns to us, he will live on bearing the consequences of Madara's actions on his shoulders."

Her hand touched the glass pane, slightly wincing as the cold surface made contact with her marred skin. "His cursed eyes will bring him suffering and misfortune. Death will be a fitting solution."

Yet, wouldn't that make things too easy?

Pressing a palm on her forehead against the glass, she admitted tiredly, "My incompetence led to this conclusion. Everything we worked up to this point ended in shambles. I can't save one lousy Uchiha brat and even betting my position as Hokage to save his life will not sway the emotions of the other Kages. There won't be a need to guess tomorrow's verdict. Once the Mizukage places her vote…it's over."

A weakened Godaime and the crumbling village is what's left of the previous Hokage's legacy.

Root won.

How mortifying.

Onyx eyes darkened with resolve. "Even though I was Sasuke's previous mentor, my failure to understand his situation drove him to the dark side. Back then, if I wasn't so self-absorbed and hindered his thirst for vengeance…then things might've ended differently."

Following Tsunade's gaze at the Hokage monument, his eyes landed at the Fourth Hokage's carved visage. His expression turned gloomier as he continued, "Yet, here we are. As you've asked, which is more important? Sasuke, who risked his life to save the village who turned its back on his clan…or the village who turned its back on him and eventually, us?"

Her hand clenched. 'I don't know.'

Recalling her earlier conversation with Naruto, her chest tightened as the image of his tear-streaked face appeared on her mind.

"How can I become Hokage if I can't even save my best friend?"

Humiliation replaced hurt.

'I'm sorry, Naruto.'

For the sake of preserving her grandfather's ideals and uphold the village's code, she was willing to give Sasuke up.

And then her subordinate had the audacity to lecture her about human life.

Even though Sasuke reminded her so much of Orochimaru, after encountering her former comrade during the war and saved her life, her past convictions of him remained in place.

…

"People change. Or they die before they do. It's one or the other."

"Orochimaru, if you changed like this sooner…then Jiraiya will not have…"

"And if I have, then Jiraiya would have changed too."

…

Her eyes closed.

Orochimaru is right.

No matter how steady the cycle of conflict is, there will be distortions.

People change and he was no exception.

Eventually, Sasuke will too.

If Jiraiya were alive, what will he do?

Even so…

"But, why?"

Though hidden by his mask, the corners of Kakashi's mouth lifted upwards. "Tsunade-sama, saving Sasuke will not absolve Shodaime-sama's guilt for not redeeming Madara or the village for its crimes against his clan."

Remorse framed her pale features.

He knew.

The Jōnin approached her and pressed something against her palm.

Opening her eyes, she looked down to see what it was.

A scroll?

"You told me before that I require the power of a Kage to save my student," he began offhandedly, already anticipating her confusion. "But, there are some things that only I can do and you can't."

Unrolling the scroll, incredulity filled Tsunade's pale features after she skimmed its contents. "Where did you get this information?"

Kakashi's tone was low.

"Yugakure."

Known as the village that has forgotten wars, Yugakure is a pacifist village with its shinobi focused on protecting its villagers. Kakashi's willingness to go through such lengths in acquiring information baffled Tsunade. "Why did you go to such a remote country? I ordered you specifically to gather information against Root!"

"Clarity."

The parchment crumpled in her hand.

"True to form, the investigation done to Kirigakure and Iwagakure is incomplete," he informed straightforwardly. "Taking word of the uprising in Kirigakure as a sham, I ordered Kirin and Neko to contain these uprisings and get rid of the evidence."

His gaze narrowed. "Unfortunately, it wasn't the case since the rebels have no idea who Sasuke was and why they were put on standby near the borders."

Tsunade grimly comprehended his words. "Apprehending key figures and having Aoba delve deep inside their minds was unlikely due to several mind blocks," she realized, finally understanding the scenario. "There wasn't information about Sasuke or the Infinite Tsukuyōmi found in their memories." Amber eyes glinted with anger as she concluded, "If that were the case, then Sasuke's whereabouts was leaked by an insider and used the information to spark a rebellion."

"Wrong."

Recalling the bodies burned in Kirigakure as part of the cleanup process, Kakashi responded, "There were no mind blocks. The nukenin were purposefully left out of the loop to be mindlessly killed as pawns to discredit Konoha shinobi."

Tsunade's hands clenched into fists. "Impossible! Then how can you explain the large groups of nukenin to do their bidding under the pretense of a false rumor?"

"Retribution."

His answer didn't sit well with her.

"The enemy knew Konoha will retaliate once Sasuke's name gets involved in certain circumstances," Kakashi explained. "Since we're overly familiar with the Uchiha clan's Dōjutsu, it's highly likely they will target him to recreate the Infinite Tsukuyōmi."

"That technique will take several years to happen! With the Divine Tree out of commission, chances of the Infinite Dream's revival is close to nil!"

"The Infinite Dream is not what we think it is."

Tsunade's fair features immediately twisted into a baffled expression. "I don't understand. What do you mean by…?"

The Jōnin levelly met her gaze.

"The Infinite Dream meant extinction."

The color drained from her face.

Anger mixed with pure horror as she finally grasped the meaning behind Kakashi's ambiguous words. "Then our enemy's real goal is…"

Onyx orbs held nothing back.

.

.

.

.

.

"…to achieve lifelong peace by eradicating all shinobi."

Anbu Headquarters

For some reason he couldn't comprehend, Ibiki recalled the first time he saw a certain blue-clad boy and his teammates.

The Chūnin Exams.

The veteran Anbu commander firstly assumed that Kakashi's team was nothing more but a bunch of misfits stupidly aiming for the title.

A Kyūbi vessel aspiring to be a Hokage.

A genius rookie who survived his clan's tragedy.

An intelligent and robust kunoichi who has yet to prove her skills.

There were suspicions that the lineup wasn't done randomly and Ibiki didn't have a hand in selecting the members – only the Third Hokage possessed the authority of putting the Kyūbi jinchūriki and the Uchiha survivor in the same team.

'Most likely Sandaime-sama knew of Shimura Danzō's ambition of acquiring the Uchiha clan's sharingan to control the Kyūbi,' Ibiki surmised, remembering Kakashi's immediate removal from his position in Anbu and subsequently demotion to a Jōnin.

With Kakashi's implanted sharingan acting as a fail-safe and his strict guidance, Naruto and Sasuke will grow up to be valuable assets for Konoha – further strengthening the Fire Country's influence among the rest.

Everything was planned from the beginning.

Yet the outcome played differently.

For instance, Naruto defied the rules by choosing not to rely on his Kyūbi abilities and passed the first level of the written examination in flying colors – with a blank test paper. It was not until his match with Kiba during the 3rd test officiated by Gekkō Hayate that made Ibiki admit he wholly underestimated Naruto's potential.

Just like his father.

With everyone's eyes completely transfixed on Naruto's growth, it was an ironic distraction from Orochimaru's diabolical plan of acquiring Sasuke's abilities for himself. Back then, the Uchiha youngling's abilities paled in comparison to his brother's. Following the next three years of hard work and reliance on Orochimaru's experiments to boost his skill set, Sasuke became fully capable of defeating his own mentor and resisting the Living Corpse Reincarnation.

In the long run, he confronted Itachi and succeeded in killing him.

However…

The consequences of defection and discovering his brother's true predicament from an unknown source rattled Sasuke's psyche, leading him to the point of no return –

Joining Akatsuki and kidnapping the Raikage's brother.

Assaulting the Five Kages during the Kage Summit and slaying numerous samurai in cold blood.

Assassinating the Sixth Hokage candidate Shimura Danzō and rendering Konoha helpless without its leader.

.

.

.

.

.

A person driven with hatred was beyond saving.

Therefore…

For his crimes against the Shinobi Nation, Uchiha Sasuke must die.

As a shinobi loyally bound to the code, Ibiki knew that every wrongdoing has a befitting punishment. Regardless of Sasuke's feats during the war, he was no exception to the rule – hence, his arrest.

Things were finally set in the right path until the Hokage's hasty resignation in exchange for his freedom.

It completely threw their allies' off-guard and filled the summit with further turmoil.

It was appalling.

An international criminal reduced the Kages into noisy kids bickering over a piece of candy.

And now…

Glancing at the empty cell where Sasuke was previously kept, Ibiki didn't have to guess the latter's current state of mind. With no resolve to fuel his motivation, the last Uchiha survivor was nothing more but a shadow of his former self.

Dark.

Empty.

His expression darkened.

Oddly, his cell reflects their futile attempts of stopping the coup d'état by an unseen enemy.

Even though the Intelligence Squad pooled their best efforts and resources in unraveling the truth behind the so-called uprising in Kirigakure and their neighboring hidden villages, several unanswered questions plagued his mind.

Who are the perpetrators?

What is their motive?

If conquering isn't the goal, why are the rogue ninjas stationed at every hidden village except Konoha?

With all the information Anbu gathered so far, Ibiki deduced that the enemy is provoking them to retaliate.

It was a feat that Tsunade favored recently.

The Hokage's biased decisions and her haywire emotions overruling logic resulted to unfavorable decisions, further displeasing the elders and the Fire Country daimyō.

Her latest stint of abdication in favor of giving Sasuke a fair trial came out too contrived; with her motivation conceivably stemming from her morals as a Medical Specialist.

It certainly caused an outcry from her colleagues, hinting it as a political move in solidifying Konoha and the Fire Country as the strongest nation. Regardless of Tsunade's denials that she wasn't saving Sasuke for his visual prowess, Kakashi and Shikamaru strangely risking their positions to ensure his survival by all means confirmed it.

Though Sasuke's strength is beneficial to the village, he will follow his predecessor's footsteps in the long run.

Ibiki clenched his fist.

Choosing Sasuke over the village's safety was the final straw.

Not to mention, Tsunade's order of prioritizing the summit.

Ibiki knew from experience that putting the Anbu on standby and relegating them as bodyguards for the summit will render the village helpless from outside attacks. For him, it was a lenient strategy as the Kages were capable of protecting themselves and stationing Anbu outside from their meeting place will bring further suspicions of an underlying threat.

The more their allies feel constrained, the more distrust they will feel.

It could also mean Tsunade's way of using force to ensure Sasuke will get a fair trial.

His brow furrowed.

Recalling their unseen enemy's tactic of strategically placing nukenin beyond Kirigakure's borders, the possibility of a swift invasion from the outside and Anbu's delayed reaction will lead to the Kages being driven into a corner and forced into submission.

It will be akin to wolves slaughtering sheep.

Just what is Tsunade-sama planning?

The crease on Ibiki's forehead deepened as he began replaying the previous events.

First was Naruto's incarceration at the restricted level.

For starters, containing the Kyūbi's powers was justifiable since Naruto's mentality was compromised. Witnessing his friend's arrest led to trauma and negativity in his mind – unwittingly feeding off from his tailed beast's chakra and trying to stop them from their mission.

Furthermore, his recent assault at the Anbu Headquarters proved that his strength was not to be taken lightly.

Although Naruto's actions resulted to several casualties from Ibiki's side, he didn't kill every single Anbu.

It baffled Ibiki to no end.

Next was Uchiha Sasuke's whereabouts…

His mouth inevitably set into a grim line.

He had no clue where Sasuke was kept since he got his hands tied in reducing the casualties of Naruto's attacks. His subordinates offered little to no explanation as to how he disappeared – in some way, Ibiki was relieved that Kakashi took charge of the investigation as he was busy tidying up Naruto's mess.

Even though the war ended, its repercussions has just begun.

"Just what do those two have that everything we worked hard for was reduced to nothing?"

.

.

.

.

.

"Do you want to know?"

Surprised he wasn't alone, Ibiki's eyes quickly darted to the direction of the sound.

A lone figure clad in black stood in the corner of the room, mouth set in a blasé grin.

The callous intimidation brought by his unwelcome visitor shed doubts inside Ibiki's mind. "You're just wasting your breath talking me out of it. I have everything under control."

A chuckle. "By around the village frantically like a headless chicken?"

Prioritizing the village's welfare was first and foremost a shinobi's duty. He was insulted by the latter's callous regard of the rules. "If the Hokage cannot uphold the noble cause of protecting the village, then I will."

The chuckle deepened into insolent laughter.

"She's right, you know."

Confusion marred the veteran Anbu's scarred features.

Casually leaning against the metal bars of Sasuke's cell, his visitor ignored the suspicious glare he kept sending his way. He found Ibiki's one-sided ideal of putting the village above others as tragic. "Relegating your men to bodyguard duty and keeping an eye on the summit is a wise decision on her part."

Ibiki's eyes narrowed to slits.

How dare this…cretin!

"Are you saying that safeguarding those selfish leaders is more important than the village?"

To his horror, the man simply nodded.

That is it.

The ones left behind to watch over the new generation are sensitive idiots.

Is this what achieving peace is for?

What in the hell is going on?

His voice was laced with sarcasm. "I find your insight unbelievably ridiculous."

Thin lips smiled grimly.

"How disappointing. To think the Hokage is more sympathetic than you."

Sympathetic?

"Even if your men apprehend numerous nukenin, a mind-delving technique cannot pierce through a null void." Seeing Ibiki's disdain, he continued, "You must've realized by now. The investigation regarding the uprising in Kirigakure is nothing more but a red herring."

Ibiki's brows furrowed deeper. "Then the nukenin stationed at Iwa, Kumo and Suna are also the same. But why…"

"…was Konoha left out of it?" The man finished, his smile still in place. "What do you think?"

His fist clenched even more.

Recalling the first interrogation where they used Aoba's technique, Ibiki realized Kakashi must've known of the threat beforehand and decided to act according to his own instincts. Though he wasn't the type to question his stoic colleague's methods, his refusal to disclose further information to his subordinates meant one thing:

An internal subterfuge.

Shock laced his once stern expression. "You mean…the enemy is here all along?" When the latter didn't respond, Ibiki demanded,"Is this the reason why Tsunade-sama insisted on putting my men on standby? Because the enemy is planning on attacking the summit?"

Hearing no response from his tormentor angered him even more, causing him to ram his fist against the metal bars of Sasuke's cell. "This is not the conclusion I wanted to hear! Are you saying that all of these events were swiftly manipulated by the enemy to discredit Konohagakure? Even the Hokage…just what in the hell was she thinking? Sacrificing the village over a bunch of useless leaders will not usher us to a new era! Not to mention, leaving the village unprotected from rebellious and unsatisfied nukenin is pure genocidal!"

A sigh.

"As I've said, she is more sympathetic than you…Ibiki-san."

The connotation of his name irked him.

The sound of footsteps approaching him added more to his fury.

Before he knew it, a fist connected to his cheek.

The impact sent him flying at the other side of the wall, the dull thudding of his back hitting the stone wall reverberated throughout the room.

Before Ibiki could gather his bearings, a kunai was pressed on his neck.

"One false move and it's over."

Dimly, he could feel his jugular vein pulsing loudly as the blade pressed deep on his neck. Ibiki struggled to find the right words to placate his enemy. "Just…what are you…playing at?"

Silence.

"You know what is actually happening, don't you?"

More silence.

"Tell me!"

His tormentor's gaze was solemn, the hand gripping the kunai unmoving.

"It is as you've said. A shinobi's primary duty is to safeguard the village's well-being. As long as it is for the sake of the village, no matter what it takes…you'll do everything, be it good or bad." The blade pressed deeper, drawing blood. "I'm sure you're fully aware of what I'm talking about. That despite the Leaf's pristine nature from the ground up, unfathomable skeletons lie beneath its black roots."

The smile returned. "An excellent paradox, wouldn't you say?"

Slowly, the meaning of the cryptic words started to sink in.

"Are you referring to…those roots?" he blurted out of the blue.

In response, the pressure from his neck lightened.

Even though he had a chance to fight back, the latter's silent acknowledgement confirmed his suspicions.

A shinobi's sworn duty is to enforce his superiors' wishes.

Be it good or bad.

Regardless of the circumstances.

However…

Those roots…

.

.

.

.

.

He knew.

The sudden emergence of the Kyūbi in the village which led to the Fourth Hokage's death…

…and the Uchiha downfall.

Information regarding the demise of the once fabled clan and the Kyūbi's sudden existence and its aftermath was strictly confidential and even he didn't know the full story. The only ones aware of it were the deceased Third Hokage, the Sixth Hokage candidate and the elders.

But, what does it make him then?

Was he supposed to know all this?

.

.

.

.

.

"Everything that is happening is our fault, isn't it?"

Only the sound of the blade fully retracting from his neck served as his attacker's response.

Of which he didn't even have the heart to retaliate.

Restraint reflected in the man's face as he reupholstered his kunai. "After Shodaime-sama and Madara founded the village, there are still people who feared the Kyūbi and the Uchiha. Even though the village recognized the Kyūbi and its jinchūriki's worth, one remained being persecuted until now."

Ibiki's silence urged him on.

"After the First's demise, the Second Hokage believed that the Uchiha clan will eventually overturn the Senju. The Konoha Police Force was created to reduce the Uchiha clan to bodyguard duty and lessen its members' attempts for a coup d'état."

It was exactly what Tsunade did to his men.

"For three generations, Konoha remained afraid of the Uchiha's abilities. Although Sandaime-sama showed proper understanding of the clan's situation and pleaded for leniency, there were no efforts done in his part to utilize their abilities in the right way. Such a shame that even the Fourth's early fueled the village's contempt to further ostracize the Uchiha."

The man stood up and dusted his pants.

"In time, the clan's restlessness and the unfair treatment they received from the village council drove them to do the one thing they feared most."

It was a repetitive tale that eventually brought Ibiki to a startling conclusion.

The village is the culprit.

If so, why is the Hokage so adamant to save that Uchiha brat?

His eyes widened in realization.

Absolution.

The sickening sound of bone hitting stone echoed throughout the prison.

Blood dripped from Ibiki's cracked knuckles as he stood up. "Saving a petty criminal to absolve the Senju's guilt was Tsunade-sama's actual goal? Absolutely ludicrous!"

Enough.

Stomping his way to the door, he grabbed the doorknob and unceremoniously yanked it open. "Stepping aside in favor of the Hokage's wishes and letting things worsen is the stupidest decision I have ever made! I should've followed my instincts and protected my village instead of catering to her whims!"

It was a losing battle on their part and watching things spiraling downwards without a fight was revolting.

Since when did they become so lenient?

Since when did HE become so WEAK?

"Even if you try resolving things, will things return to how it was?"

Hand tightening around the door knob, the image of his brother came to mind.

Idate.

Was this how you felt before?

That feeling of helplessness.

That a shinobi will always be a shinobi.

Yet…that didn't happen as you chose a different path.

But then…

Konoha is first and foremost their home.

Will the unfolding events change them too?

His grip loosened.

Konoha will never be the same.

All the efforts and ideals of the previous Hokages were already reduced to ashes.

Even safeguarding the village by his own hands will be a futile effort due to lack of manpower.

Moreover, to be blindsided by the Hokage's indecisiveness and leaving the village's future to two obnoxious brats was mortifying.

If only…

If only there was something he can do…

His expression replaced with unspoken grimace.

"NO."

Grimly, he faced the man.

"Why are you telling me this?"

The latter shrugged, his display of nonchalance further cemented Ibiki's anger.

"The less people involved, the better."

The cryptic words didn't sit well with him.

"By less people…including the Hokage?"

A ghostly smile.

"She recklessly got herself involved on several occasions, don't you think so?"

Regrettably, Ibiki agreed with his notion.

"You and I share the same sentiments," the man insisted, confidence laced with his words. "Everything that we do is for the good of the village. In order for this to happen, we eradicate all the unnecessary obstacles hindering us from our true goal."

Ibiki scoffed. "If you're after the Hokage's position it is too late."

The man only shrugged, only eyeing Sasuke's empty cell with mild interest. "No matter how much you try to cover it up, the Hokage faltered due to her indecisiveness and weak will. The village has no more use for her. Then again," he grinned, adding as an afterthought, "Her abdication meant nothing to us since it only removed her as a threat."

The fact that the person in front of him remained unperturbed from the ensuing events made Ibiki contemplate his options. Two came to his mind and either of those options were not what he expected.

Either join their side…or expect the worst.

He gritted his teeth. Even if Tsunade-sama was an emotional and biased ruler, her intentions were clearly for the good of the village. Despite the desperation she showed in ensuring Sasuke's safety, his respect for her didn't wane. "You've got it wrong. The Godaime put her position on the line to save one of our own. Her actions may have been reckless but everything she did is for the sake of the village's future!"

"A hypocritical response from a veteran Anbu commander."

That got him quiet.

"Questioning the Hokage's decisions no matter how dubious it was sealed your fate as a hypocrite. The Hokage is the embodiment of the Hidden Leaf – notwithstanding her questionable ideals and motives. Saving one of your own only served as a reminder that a Kage's powers are absolute."

Crossing his arms, the intruder cocked his head to the side. "Indeed, renouncing her position for a criminal is honorable. Not even the other Kages would dare to do the same things she did."

"The other Kages are not stupid," Ibiki argued, no longer justifying the issue. "They know fully well that she chose to save Sasuke for his abilities hence their insistence to execute him."

"Not all Kages desire that."

Disbelief met indifference.

"How sure are you?"

Like always, the man smiled.

His impatience got the better of him. "Anyway, you are a hypocrite as well."

The admonishment caused the smile to falter.

"You said everything you do is for the village," Ibiki accused, no longer mincing his words. "The idea of the pseudo-uprising in the other hidden villages and condemning Konoha as the mastermind of it all is farce. Even guilt-tripping a shinobi loyal to the code such as myself to empathize with the Kyubi jinchūriki and the Uchiha's plight is nonsensical. We all know that the past cannot be changed. The only way left is to move forward."

Instead of responding, the man stepped forward.

Raising his hand, he pointed a finger at Ibiki's chest. "I agree with you."

This sudden response took the older man aback.

"We are all hypocrites," the man admitted, gruffly. "The fact that we want the famed Uchiha ability for ourselves is a no-brainer. Peace is nothing more but a fleeting concept for the people. In reality, we desire to rise above all. There are still some who vie for dominance and crave power. No matter what era we live in, there will always be conflict."

Staring at the small sliver of light emanating from the small window above Sasuke's cell, he continued. "The summit is simply a façade for a brief armistice. The Hidden Villages' reliance on the Five Nations strength will ultimately be its downfall." His gaze was filled with conviction as he ended, "It has begun."

Perplexed, Ibiki only stared down at his bruised knuckles.

"The age of shinobi is starting its decline. As much as possible, we are preserving our dying era. In time, there will be no use for people like us. In this bloody cycle of negativity and conflict, who can blame the people to wish for ceaseless armistice…at the cost of our lives?"

From the corner of his eye, he knew the older man was weighing his options.

Putting a hand on Ibiki's shoulder, he spoke in a much lighter tone. "You're a highly commendable shinobi, Ibiki-san. Yet I stand by what I said. The Hokage is more sympathetic than you. Your men were put on standby to ensure that they are saved from punishment. However…"

The grip tightened. "Not all will be saved."

Ibiki turned to him.

"What do you mean?"

A low chuckle.

"You'll find out…in due time."

He was unconvinced.

Casually, the man removed his hand from Ibiki's shoulder. "As much as I enjoy our pleasant conversation, I'm afraid I have to go." Putting his hand inside his pocket, he walked past Ibiki and grasped the door knob. Ignoring the rickety squeak of the door, he looked at the Anbu veteran's dejected form. "Ibiki-san."

Said person turned around.

Uncertainty met determination.

"Is the village truly worth throwing your life away for?"

His eyes widened.

Satisfied, the man hummed a tune as he walked out of the room.

He was alone.

Eyeing the empty space where Sasuke used to be, the memories he recalled of the blue-clad boy and his team was surreptitiously replaced by his earlier conversation with the intruder.

Kami-sama, it made him think.

Countless times he had thrown his life on the line for the sake of completing his missions.

Not once had he thought of his own life.

And now…

The village.

What are they protecting for?

Who are they fighting for?

WHO

ARE

THEY?

A solitary tear dropped from his eye.

In the end, we are nothing more but tools.

If that is the case, then…

Casting one final look at the cell, Ibiki clenched his fist as he turned around and left the room.

.

.

.

.

.

The only option left…is to admit defeat.

A/N: And there you have it! Dear readers, I want to express my gratitude for the support and encouragement in continuing this story. As always, please feel drop me a review and let me know what you think. Thank you again and I'll see you all in the next chapter!